Liverpool title chances updated by supercomputer after Aston Villa setback
Liverpool dropped points for the second time in three matches on Wednesday night in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.
The Reds' margin at the top of the Premier League could be reduced to five points if Arsenal beat West Ham on Saturday (22 February) after being held by Aston Villa at Villa Park.
That would make the Reds' clash with Manchester City (23 February) a must-win contest given the potential implications on the title race.
However, the result at Villa Park on 19 February is not a disaster by any means according to a new prediction.
Liverpool still favourites for Premier League title
Despite the dropped points against Aston Villa, the Reds are still favourites to secure the Premier League title by a comfortable margin.
The Opta Analyst supercomputer [20 February] gives the L4 outfit an 84.73 per cent chance of lifting the trophy at the end of the campaign.
Arne Slot's side are expected to to finish on 86.69 points, with Arsenal finishing second with 80.46 and an outside shot at overhauling the Merseysiders at 15.19 per cent.
| Premier League standings | Played | GD | Points |
| Liverpool | 26 | +36 | 61 |
| Arsenal | 25 | +29 | 53 |
Liverpool must keep their composure
Liverpool must avoid the outside noise and keep their composure as the season grinds to a conclusion to ensure that they are successful.
If the Reds do their job in the next 12 matches, they will be crowned Premier League champions at the end of the campaign.
However, if they continue to drop points, their likelihood of beating the Gunners to the crown will decrease and the clash between the sides at Anfield on 10 May could become the decider.
The Merseysiders must ensure that Mikel Arteta's side do not get the chance to close the gap to a point where that game could swing the title picture around.
It would be a remarkable achievement if Slot could guide his side to the trophy in his first season on English shores, but credit must also be given to Jurgen Klopp for building the squad that the Dutchman has at his disposal.
Only time will tell if they can hold on to the strong advantage that they have built, but if the latest prediction is anything to go off, they should.